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| United States Patent |
6,161,582
|
|
Asano
, et al.
|
December 19, 2000
|
Ball cock for railway vehicle
Abstract
The present invention provides a ball cock for a railway vehicle which
comprises a main body possessing a primary-side opening and a
secondary-side opening which face one another and an air exhaust aperture
which is formed between these openings. Such ball cock further incudes a
ball-shaped valve body which is rotatably provided inside such main body
and in which there is formed a communication aperture which connects the
primary side opening and the secondary-side opening and a side aperture
which, consequent to its rotation, connects the air exhaust aperture and
either the primary-side or secondary-side opening. There is formed in the
main body's air exhaust aperture a pipe connection to which can be
connected a restrictor. In another embodiment an extension pipe is
connected to such pipe connection in such air exhaust aperture. Such pipe
extension forms a bend portion which causes its opening surface to be
positioned lower than a generally horizontal direction when, in accordance
with the state in which the main body is fitted to a railway vehicle, its
air exhaust aperture is positioned upwardly from such horizontal
direction.
| Inventors:
|
Asano; Yoshio (Kobe, JP);
Akamatsu; Osamu (Akashi, JP);
Morita; Mitsumasa (Miki, JP);
Suetaka; Yoshio (Kobe, JP)
|
| Assignee:
|
Westinghouse Air Brake Company (Wilmerding, PA)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
050690 |
| Filed:
|
March 30, 1998 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
137/625.21; 181/230 |
| Intern'l Class: |
F16K 011/02 |
| Field of Search: |
181/230
137/625.21
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
| 943544 | Dec., 1909 | Kendrick | 137/625.
|
| 1810547 | Jun., 1931 | Woods | 137/625.
|
| 1850621 | Mar., 1932 | Farmer | 137/625.
|
| 3464449 | Sep., 1969 | Morton | 137/625.
|
| 3674052 | Jul., 1972 | Hartman et al. | 137/625.
|
| 3700006 | Oct., 1972 | Marcillaud | 137/625.
|
| 3770016 | Nov., 1973 | Johnstone et al. | 137/625.
|
| 3981378 | Sep., 1976 | Potter | 181/230.
|
| 4027698 | Jun., 1977 | Weinhold | 137/625.
|
| 4099543 | Jul., 1978 | Mong et al. | 137/625.
|
| 4359134 | Nov., 1982 | Jackson | 181/230.
|
| 4548237 | Oct., 1985 | Bogenschutz | 137/625.
|
| 5360036 | Nov., 1994 | Kieper | 137/625.
|
| Foreign Patent Documents |
| 406088515 | May., 1994 | JP | 181/230.
|
Primary Examiner: Rivell; John
Assistant Examiner: Schoenfeld; Meredith H.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: James Ray & Associates
Claims
We claim:
1. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, said ball cock valve comprises:
(a) a main body portion possessing a primary-side opening and a
secondary-side opening which face one another and an air exhaust aperture
formed between said primary-side opening and said secondary-side opening,
said air exhaust aperture being threaded;
(b) a ball-shaped valve body rotatably disposed inside a cavity formed in
said main body portion, said ball-shaped valve body having a communication
aperture formed therein which connects said primary-side opening and said
secondary-side opening and a side aperture which, consequent to its
rotation, connects said air exhaust aperture and one of said primary-side
opening and said secondary-side opening; and
(c) a restrictor means threadably connected to said air exhaust aperture of
said main body portion for restricting flow of air from said ball cock
valve.
2. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, according to claim 1, wherein
said threaded air exhaust aperture is a tapered thread.
3. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, said ball cock valve comprises:
(a) a main body portion possessing a primary-side opening and a
secondary-side opening which face one another and an air exhaust aperture
formed between said primary-side opening and said secondary-side opening;
(b) a ball-shaved valve body rotatable disposed inside a cavity formed in
said main body portion, said ball-shaped valve body having a communication
aperture formed therein which connects said primary-side opening and said
secondary-side opening and a side aperture which, consequent to its
rotation, connects said air exhaust aperture and one of said primary-side
opening and said secondary-side opening; and
(c) an extension pipe connected at a first end thereof to said air exhaust
aperture, said extension pipe being hard rubber.
4. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, according to claim 3, wherein
said extension pipe is generally U-shaped.
5. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, according to claim 4, wherein
said generally U-shaped extension pipe is cut at a generally central
location to form an L-shaped extension pipe when said air exhaust aperture
is positioned in a generally horizontal direction.
6. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, according to claim 3, wherein a
second end of said extension pipe is threaded.
7. A ball cock valve for a railway vehicle, according to claim 6, wherein a
restrictor is threadably connected to said second end of said extension
pipe.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates, in general, to ball cock valves and, more
particularly, this invention relates to a railway vehicle ball cock which
is interposed in the air piping and related areas of a pneumatic brake
device which is mainly installed below the vehicle floor in a railway
vehicle.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In a railway vehicle, pressurized air from an air source is supplied via
air piping to pneumatic brake devices, air springs, automatic flap opening
and closing devices and other such equipment. Ball cocks (3-way cocks) are
provided in the abovementioned air piping for the purpose of repair and
maintenance. A ball cock of this type is described in, for example, the
disclosure of Japanese Utility Model No. 6-23802. A ball cock of this type
will be described with reference to FIGS. 7-10.
The main body of a ball cock consists of a first member and a second
member, inside which an inner aperture is formed and which is detachably
connected to the first member. A primary-side opening and a secondary-side
opening, connected to respective air pipes (not shown), are formed in
opposing locations in such first and second members, respectively.
An axial aperture which communicates with the inner aperture is formed in
the upper portion of the second member, and an air exhaust aperture is
formed in the lower portion of such first member. Valve seat carrier
elements are installed via respective seal elements at the inner sides of
the primary-side opening and the secondary-side opening of the first and
second members, respectively. Valve seats, made of synthetic resin, are
supported by valve seat carrier elements. Further, the valve seats support
a ball-shaped valve body in the inner hole in a manner such that it can
rotate about a vertical axis. A plate spring is provided between the first
member and the valve seat carrier element, and it pushes the valve seat to
the valve body side.
A valve shaft is connected to the upper portion of the valve body, and this
valve shaft passes through the axial hole and is connected to a stopper
plate and a handle at the top of the second member. As shown in FIG. 9,
the stopper plate has two engagement projections separated by an angle of
90 degrees. At the top of the first member there is formed a stopper which
can be engaged by one or the other of the engagement projections
consequent to rotation of the valve shaft of such valve body.
In the valve body there is opened a communication aperture which passes
horizontally through its central portion, and a side aperture which passes
obliquely from one side portion of the valve body to the bottom portion.
The central axis of the side aperture lies in a plane which is
perpendicular to the communication aperture. In the state shown in FIG. 7,
the primary-side opening and the secondary-side opening are connected via
the communication aperture, but when the valve body is turned
approximately 90 degrees by means of a handle, the pass-through state
between the primary-side opening and the secondary-side opening is cut
off, and the secondary-side opening and the air exhaust aperture are
connected via the side aperture and the inner aperture, as shown in FIG.
10, and thus exhaust of air from the secondary-side opening can be
effected.
However, air piping in which a ball cock, as described above, is provided
under the floor of a vehicle. Various types of equipment, as well as a
large number of air pipes, are also suspended below this floor. Therefore,
since it is necessary to avoid interference with these items, sometimes a
ball cock is mounted upside-down, in order that the air exhaust aperture
is located at the upper surface in a vertical direction of the ball cock,
or it is mounted so that the air exhaust aperture is positioned in a
horizontal direction.
If the installation is such that the air exhaust aperture is positioned
horizontally or at the top surface of the ball cock, there is a problem in
that it is easy for rainwater, dirt or other foreign material to penetrate
into the interior of the ball cock via the air exhaust aperture and so the
valve seats, as well as other parts, are subject to damage by this
rainwater, dirt or other foreign matter. When this happens leakage of
pressurized air from the ball cock can occur. Further, since the diameter
of the side aperture for exhaust of air is usually a comparatively large
diameter of approximately 5 millimeters, there is also the problem that
when air is exhausted from the secondary-side opening and through the side
aperture, the air exhaust speed becomes too great, and thus it becomes
difficult to ascertain the switching pressure of a pressure switch which
is mounted on the air piping. Therefore, it becomes difficult to regulate
the air pressure in the air piping at the time of air exhaust.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention provides a ball cock for a railway vehicle which
comprises a main body possessing a primary-side opening and a
secondary-side opening which face one another and an air exhaust aperture
which is formed between these openings. Such ball cock further incudes a
ball-shaped valve body which is rotatably provided inside such main body
and in which there is formed a communication aperture which connects the
primary side opening and the secondary-side opening and a side aperture
which, consequent to its rotation, connects the air exhaust aperture and
either the primary-side or secondary-side opening. There is formed in the
main body's air exhaust aperture a pipe connection to which can be
connected a restrictor.
In another embodiment an extension pipe is connected to such pipe
connection in such air exhaust aperture. Such pipe extension forms a bend
portion which causes its opening surface to be positioned lower than a
generally horizontal direction when, in accordance with the state in which
the main body is fitted to a railway vehicle, its air exhaust aperture is
positioned upwardly from such horizontal direction.
OBJECTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to
provide a ball cock with which infiltration of rainwater, dirt or other
foreign material can be minimized regardless of the mounting position of
the ball cock relative to the vehicle.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a ball cock which can
restrict air exhaust speed so as to be better able to measure switching
pressure.
Also it is another object of the present invention to provide a ball cock
which can be inexpensive to manufacture.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a ball cock
which is compatible with existing equipment.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a ball cock with
a pipe extension which can be used in any mounting position.
In addition to the objects and advantages of the present invention which
have been described above, various other objects and advantages of the
ball cock will become more readily apparent to those persons who are
skilled in the relevant art from the following more detailed description
of the invention, particularly, when such description is taken in
conjunction with the attached drawing figures and with the appended claims
.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a transverse section showing a ball cock in a first embodiment of
the invention.
FIG. 2 is a vertical section of a ball cock showing the manner in which air
exhaust is effected in a first embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 3 is a transverse section of a ball cock in a second embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 4 is a transverse section of a ball cock showing a modification of the
second embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 5 is a transverse section of a ball cock in a third embodiment of the
invention.
FIG. 6 is a transverse section of a ball cock showing a fourth embodiment
of the invention.
FIG. 7 is a vertical section showing a conventional prior art ball cock.
FIG. 8 is transverse section along the line VIII--VIII of the ball cock of
FIG. 7.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of the ball cock shown in FIG. 7.
FIG. 10 is a vertical section showing the manner in which air exhaust is
effected in the ball cock shown in FIG. 7.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS OF
THE INVENTION
Prior to proceeding with the more detailed description of the present
invention it should be noted that, for the sake of clarity, identical
components which have identical functions have been designated by
identical reference numerals throughout the several views illustrated in
the drawings.
Reference is now made, more particularly, to FIG. 1. Illustrated therein is
a ball cock, generally designated B1. Ball cock B1 of this embodiment has
generally the same structure as the conventional example of a prior art
ball cock shown in FIGS. 7-10, and so the same reference numbers are also
attached to corresponding parts and a repeated description will be
omitted. Ball cock B1 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted in a normal position
below the floor of a vehicle, i.e., it is mounted in a manner such that
the air exhaust aperture 24 is located at the lower surface. A pipe
connection 24a constituted by a taper thread (taper internal thread) for a
pipe is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the air exhaust aperture
24.
A restrictor 25 is screwed together with the pipe connection 24a by means
of an outer-periphery taper external thread 25a, and a restriction passage
25b is formed inside this restrictor 25. With this ball cock B1, as shown
in FIG. 2, when the valve body 15 is rotated 90 degrees and the
secondary-side opening 6 and the side aperture 23 are connected,
pressurized air in the secondary-side opening 6 passes through the side
aperture 23 and the inner aperture 3, and further passes through the
restrictor 25 in the air exhaust aperture 24 and is discharged. In this
case, since the speed of discharge of the pressurized air is reduced by
the restriction passage 25b, it is easy to ascertain the switching
pressure of a pressure switch. Further, fitting the restrictor 25 to the
air exhaust aperture 24 makes possible more reliable prevention of the
infiltration of rainwater, dirt or other foreign matter.
In FIG. 3 is shown a second embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment
a ball cock B2 is mounted below the floor of a vehicle, not shown, in a
manner such that exhaust aperture 24 is positioned in a generally
horizontal direction, i.e., at a side surface of ball cock B2. An L-shaped
extension pipe 26 made of metal is screwed together, by means of a taper
external thread 26a provided at its base end portion, with a pipe
connection 24a (taper thread for a pipe) which is provided in the air
exhaust aperture 24. The opening surface 26c at the tip-end portion of the
extension pipe 26, which is connected to the aforementioned base end
portion via a bend portion 26b, opens facing downwards, but as long as it
is positioned lower than the horizontal direction, there is a set effect
in respect to restricting the infiltration of dirt or other foreign
material.
A taper external thread 26d is formed at the tip-end portion of the
extension pipe 26, and a first taper internal thread 27a of a pipe
connection 27 is screwed together with this taper external thread 26d.
Further, a restrictor 25 is screwed together with a second taper internal
thread 27b of the pipe connection 27 by means of an outer-periphery taper
external thread 25a. With the ball cock B2, at the time of air discharge,
pressurized air is discharged to the exterior via the air exhaust aperture
24, extension pipe 26 and restrictor 25. It is not always necessary to
provide the restrictor 25, and if not provided, the taper external thread
26d and the pipe connection 27 are unnecessary.
FIG. 4 shows a modification of the second embodiment of the invention that
was shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the pipe connection 24b at the inner
periphery of the air exhaust aperture 24 is made a meter screw (female
screw), a meter screw (male screw) 26e is also used at the base end
portion of the extension pipe 26 and, if required , an O-ring 28 and a
lock nut 29 are fixed to the ball cock B2a at the outer-end portion of the
air exhaust aperture 24.
FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the invention. The ball cock B3 of this
embodiment is mounted below the floor of a railway vehicle (not shown) in
a manner such that it is upside-down, i.e., such that the air exhaust
aperture 24 is located at the top surface in the generally vertical
direction. In this case, a U-shaped extension pipe 31 made of metal is
fitted by means of a taper internal thread 31a at its base end portion to
the pipe connection 24a of the air exhaust aperture 24, and the opening
surface 31c of the extension pipe 31, which is connected to the
aforementioned base end portion via a bend portion 31b, opens facing
downwards. Although a restrictor 25 is not fitted in this embodiment, the
arrangement may also be that a restrictor 25 is fitted to the tip-end
portion of the extension pipe 31 by means of a pipe connection 27, as in
the second embodiment.
FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment of the invention. In this case, a ball
cock B4 is mounted in an upside-down attitude below the floor of a railway
vehicle, and the base end portion 32a of a U-shaped extension pipe 32 made
of hard rubber is press-fitted against the inner peripheral surface of an
air exhaust aperture 33 which serves jointly as a pipe connection. The
opening surface 32c at the tip-end portion of an extension pipe 32, which
is connected to the abovementioned base end portion via a bend portion
32b, opens downwards. If the ball cock B4 is mounted below the floor of a
railway vehicle in a manner that the air exhaust aperture 33 is directed
in a horizontal direction, as in the second embodiment described
previously, the extension pipe 32 can be cut at the cutting line A--A
indicated by the chain-dot line and be used as an L-shaped extension pipe.
Although, in each of the embodiments described above, it was made possible
to connect only the secondary-side opening 6 to the air exhaust aperture
24 via the side aperture 23 and the inner aperture 3 by making the valve
body 15 free to rotate 90 degrees about the vertical axis, the arrangement
may also be made such that both the primary-side opening 5 and the
secondary-side opening 6 can be connected to the air exhaust aperture 24
via the side aperture 23 and inner aperture 3 and air can be discharged
from both the primary-side opening 5 and the secondary-side opening 6 by
making the valve body 15 free to rotate 180 degrees about the vertical
axis.
As described above, the railway vehicle ball cock of the first embodiment
of the invention is one which comprises a main body possessing a
primary-side opening and a secondary-side opening which face one another
and an air exhaust aperture which is formed between these openings. There
is a ball-shaped valve body which is rotatably provided inside this main
body and in which there is formed a communication aperture which connects
the primary-side opening and the secondary-side opening and a side
aperture which, consequent to its rotation, connects the air exhaust
aperture and either the primary-side opening or the secondary-side
opening. There is formed in the main body's air exhaust aperture a pipe
connection to which can be connected an extension pipe that forms a bend
portion which causes its opening surface to be positioned lower than a
generally horizontal direction when, in accordance with the state in which
the main body is fitted to a railway vehicle, its air exhaust aperture is
positioned upwardly of a horizontal direction. Therefore, when the ball
cock is mounted in a manner such that the air exhaust aperture is
positioned upwardly of a general horizontal direction, the opening surface
of the extension pipe can be positioned lower than this horizontal
direction by connecting the extension pipe to the pipe connection of the
air exhaust aperture. As a result, regardless of the ball cock's mounting
attitude relative to the vehicle, there is less infiltration of rainwater,
dirt or other foreign material via the air exhaust aperture and thus it is
more difficult for problems that could damage the ball cock to occur.
Since the railway vehicle ball cock of the second embodiment of the
invention is one in which the pipe connection is formed by a taper with
pipe threads, connection of the extension pipe to the pipe connection can
be effected more surely and firmly by connecting to the pipe connection
the taper thread which is formed at the end portion of the extension pipe.
The ball cock for a railway vehicle in a third embodiment is one in which
the extension pipe possesses an L-shaped extension pipe which can be
fitted when the air exhaust aperture is positioned in a generally
horizontal direction and a U-shaped extension pipe which can be fitted
when the air exhaust aperture is positioned at the upper surface in the
generally vertical direction. Therefore, by using extension pipes which
have different shapes in accordance with the position of the air exhaust
aperture, it is possible to position the extension pipe opening lower than
the horizontal direction, regardless of what the air exhaust aperture's
position is.
In a fourth embodiment, the railway vehicle ball cock is one in which the
extension pipe is formed to a U-shape with hard rubber, and a portion
thereof can be cut off to form an L-shaped extension pipe. That is, only
one type of U-shaped element formed from hard rubber is prepared for the
extension pipe. If the air exhaust aperture is located at the top of the
ball cock, this U-shaped extension pipe is used just as it is. However, if
the air exhaust aperture is positioned in the horizontal direction, an
L-shaped extension pipe can be produced by cutting the U-shaped extension
pipe in two at a generally central location and this can be connected to
the air exhaust aperture. There is, therefore, the advantage that the
extension pipe specification can be unified as a single form of
specification and the cost of the extension pipe manufacture can be
reduced.
Since the railway vehicle ball cock of the fifth embodiment is one in which
a restriction passage is formed in the main body's air exhaust aperture or
in the extension pipe, the speed of discharge of air from the air exhaust
aperture is reduced and sharp discharge of air from air piping is
suppressed, and as a result it is easy to ascertain the switching pressure
of a pressure switch which is mounted on the air piping.
It will be understood that various alterations and changes may be made by
those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of
the subject invention. Therefore, it will be appreciated that certain
modifications, ramifications, and equivalents will be readily apparent to
persons skilled in the art and, accordingly, it is understood that the
present invention should not be limited to the exact embodiments shown and
described, but should be accorded the full scope and protection of the
appended claims.
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